ToonBreak: New Site for Indie Animators

Shawn McInerney, an animator and the founder of ToonBreak.com, e-mailed me yesterday to clue me in on the site's launch. (It went up last Monday.) Here's how he describes it:

...ToonBreak is unique in that provides multiple tools for animators to generate revenue. Animators can earn money through merchandising, video ads, text ads, banner ads, and donations. All of this is currently done through third party systems such as Revver, Google Adsense, PayPal Donations, and links the animators' online stores. ToonBreak's deal is non-exclusive, and does not seek rights beyond those needed to show and generate revenue from the videos.

Shawn says that about 26 animators have work up on the site. On how payment works, he explains:

- I use Revver as my video host. Revver pays the animators their share of the video ad revenue.

- I link to the animators' PayPal donation accounts, if they want. 100% of this revenue goes to the animators. Payments are handled by PayPal.

- I links to the animators' online stores, if they want. 100% of this revenue goes to the animators.

- I use the animators' Google Adsense account codes, if they want. 100% of this revenue goes to the animators if they send me their code. Otherwise I use my own Adsense account codes and keep this revenue.

It's a cool idea, a sort of second-generation video site, which uses tools from other sites to host the video and ensure that creators get paid.

Here's a bit of background about Shawn, who has worked for Sony Pictures, Electronic Arts, and Will Vinton Studios.